This past August, one week past my birthday I had to say good bye to my beloved Misty.  Misty was a 13 year old greyhound.  She was the best.  After her racing career she was taken back to her farm in Kansas and had many babies, 21 over the years.  The guys who handled her on the farm told me she was the best ever brood mom, they let her keep her babies longer.

She brought so much joy to me.  She protected me and my cats, she loved being around the cats and she would let them know when they were being naughty,lol.  One very humid morning in August two years ago, when we were walking, she decided to go a different route, which was fine by me.  Now, being a greyhound, she is a sight hound and can see much further then people, she pulled me into a busy street, jogging up a hilly, busy street on the double yellow line.  As we got closer I saw what I thought was a small white bag, I thought your running after a bag, but as we get closer it was a small white kitten, I picked the kitten up and Misty was so proud, her tail waging and teeth chattering, as we went home.  My dog saved this kitten’s life, according to my vet, the kitten would have died within the hour.  It was like Misty knew that a kitten needed help.

Well, the kitten, Caspurr is doing well, he is a 12 pounds,beautiful all white cat with blue eyes, not deaf, winning cat shows, my sister and her husband are proud owners of their champ, thanks to Misty changing her walking route that humid August morning.

I had no idea that my baby girl was suffering from bone cancer.  We still walked every day, not as fast or long, which I figured, she is 13, she still was eating, but resting more.  On that horrible morning which I will never forget, she wanted to go for her walk, once outside, she turned, fell to the ground, screaming, her front right leg snapped, I got her into my car and off to my vet.  My vet, Dr. Bill Bensen, who is a greyhound specialist, took x-rays and told me that she was suffering from cancer in both her front legs and it had spred to her lungs, I was in total shock, I had no idea, she hid it from me so well, I had to let her go.  I cried for days and I still do.

— Patricia from Windsor Mill, MD